I played in the UAE and China to guarantee my future – Asamoah Gyan

Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan says he does not regret moving to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Pro-League at age 26 and later to the Chinese Super League with Shanghai SIPG in 2015 because he did so to guarantee his future financially.

Gyan has been criticised by pundits for abandoning top-flight European football for money after his sensational loan switch to UAE Pro-League club Al Ain in 2011 from English Premier League club Sunderland when he was arguably at the height of his powers.

However, the 32-year-old says he does not agree with his critics describing them as “Professors of every job”.

According to Gyan who has gone on to become the Black Stars record scorer with 51 goals in 105 appearances, he decided to move to Al Ain at the age of 26 and later Shanghai SIPG because he wanted to guarantee his life and future.

Gyan who was on a reported salary of £227,000 per week at Shanghai SIPG explains:

“Obviously, I do not agree with these criticisms, everyone thinks of themselves as Professors of every job, but nobody knows what you are going to do, of course, the team that I will go to is important, but we are human beings … doesn’t everyone work for money? There were so many differences between the offered wages and my family, I guaranteed my life and my future.

“If you leave football you have a few sentences about you but nobody knows what you are going to do. It is my life, I chose this. I have done very good work in the places I went to. China, I played in France, England and Italy before Dubai and I do not regret the decisions I have made in my life.”

He also gave his approval to the decision of Congolese striker Cedric Bakambu, who at age 26 is making a similarly lucrative transfer by joining the Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan which will incidentally make him the most expensive African player in history when he pens a bumper £16m-a-year contract in China’s capital city.

Bakambu has already undergone his medical with the £65m deal set to be finalised. Beijing Guoan have not only agreed to pay the £35m release clause for the Congolese striker but also all the imposed tax on the star – which will total around £30m.